
Royals End Walleye Win Streak, Nagle Becomes ECHL's 2nd All-Time Winningest Goalie in Road-Trip Opener
March 25, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release
Toledo, OH - The Reading Royals (36-21-4-0), proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, defeated the Toledo Walleye (41-16-4-2), 4-2, on Friday, March 24 at the Huntington Center. The Royals opened their three-game road-trip with their fourth-straight win over Toledo. Pat Nagle (16-5-0) saved 40 of 42 shots faced to earn his 218th ECHL career win. With his fifth consecutive win, Nagle became the league's second all-time leading goaltender for wins. Nagle is now 47 wins shy of matching Nick Vitucci for the all-time lead for wins among goaltenders in the ECHL (265). Sebastian Cossa suffered the loss in net for Toledo with 18 saves on 22 shots faced (23-14-0).
Paliani scored the game's opening goal 4:40 into the first period to put Reading in front early into regulation with his first of two goals in the game. Paliani intercepted a pass at center ice from Sam Craggs and beat Cossa on a breakaway with a wrist shot snapped past the netminder glove-side.
Toledo answered back to tie the score before the end of the first period. With 1:15 left in the period, Jake Willets blasted a one-timer past Nagle for the his first goal of his professional career. Despite the Walleye registering a game-high 16 shots on goal in the second period, the score remained tied after 40 minutes, 1-1.
Reading's offense jolted out to a two-goal lead on goals scored by Alec Butcher and Tyler Heidt 2:18 apart from one another. Butcher and Heidt each earned an assist on each other's goals to capture multi-point games in the road win. The goal and assist earned Butcher his ninth multi-point game of the season and ninth point in his last four games (3g-6a). Heidt earned his third consecutive multi-point game to improve his point streak to four games.
The Walleye drew the score to a one-goal differential with a power play goal on one of their three power play opportunities in the game. Brendon Hawkins scored his team-leading 12th power play goal of the season on a shot that sprung off of the glass behind Nagle's net and deflected from Colin Felix's leg into the back of Reading's net.
Paliani put the game out of reach for a Walleye comeback with his second goal of the game in the final five minutes of regulation. The two-goal game was Paliani's second in his last four contests and third multi-goal game overall this season.
The Royals were outshot by the Walleye with 22 shots to Toledo's 42 in the game. Reading earned their seventh win in their last eight meetings with the Walleye and improved to a 7-0 record when tied with opponents after two periods on the road this season.
The Royals conclude their three-game road-trip in Wheeling with back-to-back games against the Nailers on Saturday, March 25 at 7:10 p.m. and Sunday, March 26 at 4:10 p.m. at WesBanco Arena.
The Royals return home on Wednesday, March 29 to host the Adirondack Thunder at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. The home game features a Wild Wednesdays promotional game.
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from March 25, 2023
- Barratt Tallies Three Points, Royals Drop High-Scoring Affair to Nailers, 6-5 - Reading Royals
- Second Period Outburst Pushes Thunder Past Heartlanders - Wichita Thunder
- Idaho Completes the Sweep - Allen Americans
- Last Goal Wins for Wheeling in 6-5 Thriller - Wheeling Nailers
- Railers Suffer Tough Loss to Adirondack, 2-1 - Worcester Railers HC
- Rush Fall in Fort Wayne, 6-3 - Rapid City Rush
- Jordan Kawaguchi Scores Hat Trick in 6-3 Victory at Allen - Idaho Steelheads
- Iowa and Wichita Combine for 102 PIM in 4-2 Landers Defeat - Iowa Heartlanders
- Sensational Second Period Sends Oilers Past Mavericks - Tulsa Oilers
- Stingrays Use Hot Start to Sink Mariners - South Carolina Stingrays
- K-Wings Climb Back in 3rd, Beat Indy in OT Saturday - Kalamazoo Wings
- Weller's Goal Propels Thunder Past Railers, 2-1 - Adirondack Thunder
- Growlers Down Everblades 3-2 - Newfoundland Growlers
- Walleye Notch 250 Sellouts in Win Over Greenville - Toledo Walleye
- Fuel Earn Point in Overtime Loss to K-Wings - Indy Fuel
- Peski Scores Twice in Loss to Stingrays - Maine Mariners
- Cossa Stops 35, Rabbits Come up Short of Walleye 5-1 - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Admirals Win OT Thriller on the Road - Norfolk Admirals
- Alex Kile Recalled to Lehigh Valley - Maine Mariners
- ECHL Transactions - March 25 - ECHL
- Wichita Plays Season-Series Finale Tonight vs. Iowa - Wichita Thunder
- Lions Going for Two in a Row - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Game Preview: Swamp Rabbits at Walleye (7:15pm) - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Game Day Preview: Final Chance to Beat Idaho in the Regular Season - Allen Americans
- Joe Vrbetic Records his First Professional Shutout - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Royals Wheel into West Virginia for Back-To-Back with Nailers - Reading Royals
- 'Clones Hang on in Utah, Extend Point Streak to 20 Games - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Royals End Walleye Win Streak, Nagle Becomes ECHL's 2nd All-Time Winningest Goalie in Road-Trip Opener - Reading Royals
- Cyclones Defeated Grizzlies in Wild 4-3 Game - Utah Grizzlies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Reading Royals Stories
- Reading Royals and Philadelphia Flyers Extend Affiliation Agreement
- Royals Fall to Lions, End Season in Game Four of North Division Semifinal, 5-2
- Preview: Royals vs Lions Game 4, North Division Semifinal Series
- Royals Surrender Last Second Equalizer, Fall in Double Overtime, 3-2
- Preview: Royals vs Lions Game 3, North Division Semifinal Series

